FHSU Athletics
SHAWNEE, Okla. - The Fort Hays State volleyball team wrapped up its non-conference schedule with two more wins Saturday in the MIAA/GAC Crossover, defeating Northwestern Oklahoma State in straight sets before taking down Oklahoma Baptist in a true road match in four sets. The Tigers improve to 11-1 after extending their winning streak to eight in a row, making this their best start to a season since a 12-0 start to the 2016 campaign.
Fort Hays State put on an impressive offensive performance in both matches, swinging at an efficient .357 clip in the win over the Rangers before posting an attack rate of .253 against the Bison. The Rangers dip to 1-10 following the loss, while the Bison are now 9-4 overall this season.
Fort Hays State 3, Northwestern Oklahoma State 0
The Tigers started the day by cruising past the Rangers in straight sets for the second time in two weeks, winning 25-11, 25-17, 25-18. Fort Hays State dominated on the stat sheet, holding a 51-33 edge in digs, a 7-1 advantage in service aces, a 45-23 lead in assists and a 53-28 cushion in kills.
NWOSU scored the first point of the match, but it was all Tigers after that in the opening set. Fort Hays State rattled off six in a row to take control before later going on a 5-0 run to push the lead to double digits. Peyton Bergschneider completed the victory with her fifth kill, doing so on all five of her attempts in the set.
The Tigers never trailed in the second set, scoring the first four points on four consecutive Ranger errors. NWOSU was able to pull back level at 11-11, but Fort Hays State responded by scoring the next six points to take the lead for good. Gracie Rains brought the set to an end with a kill off a pass from Abrey Galt. The senior had 12 assists in the frame, doing so on all but two of FHSU's kill in the second set.
Neither side led by more than two early in the third set before a Grace Schmedding kill gave the Tigers a 12-9 advantage. The Rangers scored three of the next four to level things at 13, but back-to-back kills from Rains gave the Tigers the lead for good. FHSU later scored five in a row to take complete control, including a pair of kills from Caiya Stucky Reyes. Carsyn Cormaney ultimately completed the sweep with her sixth kill of the match.
Reyes led the match with 15 kills, doing so with a .538 attack percentage after making only one error. Rains added nine kills, while Schmedding had four kills and a team-high 12 digs. Galt recorded a team-best 38 assists alongside three kills and one ace. Ivanny Blackwood led the Rangers with 10 kills.
Fort Hays State 3, Oklahoma Baptist 1
The Tigers completed the perfect 4-0 weekend with a four-set win over host Oklahoma Baptist in the second match of the day, 25-18, 17-25, 25-21, 25-18. Both teams racked up 58 kills in the contest, while FHSU committed five fewer errors, 21-16.
Fort Hays State scored eight in a row to take a quick 8-1 lead in the first set, including two kills each from Reyes and Rains. Ella Goodwin helped the Tigers push the lead to double figures with a kill before Reyes and Ashlyn Reeves teamed up for a block to give FHSU a 1-0 lead in the match.
The Tigers led by two during the early going of the second set, but the Bison scored three in a row to go in front, 10-9. FHSU responded to tie the score at 10 before OBU scored nine-straight to take a commanding 19-10 lead. Three kills from Bergschneider helped FHSU close within five, but the deficit was too much to overcome as the home team leveled the match at one set apiece.
An 8-2 run midway through the third set gave Fort Hays State control, turning a 7-6 deficit into a 14-9 lead. Rains fueled the run with four kills before adding two more down the stretch to help FHSU reach set point. Bergschneider put the nail in the coffin with a kill, giving the Tigers a 2-1 advantage in the match.
After swinging at a .325 clip in the third set to regain the lead, Fort Hays State turned things up a notch with a .341 attack percentage to seal the win in the fourth set. The Tigers never trailed in the set after scoring the first five points. Oklahoma Baptist rallied to tie the score at eight, but FHSU responded with an 8-2 run to race back in front, 16-10. The visitors maintained the big lead from there, completing the win on Rains' team-best 16th kill of the match.
Bergschneider added 12 kills and 12 digs, while Reeves tallied 11 kills and three blocks (two solo). Kirsten Evans led the way with 21 digs, while Galt tossed up 32 assists alongside 13 digs and three kills. Allie Stricker paced OBU with 16 kills.
UP NEXT
The Tigers will jump into conference play next week when they host Missouri Southern on Friday , September 26 at 6 p.m. and Central Missouri on Saturday, September 27, 1 p.m.